#MarkFishChallenge: South African Twitter’s latest meme

Former South African soccer player Mark Fish became the laughing stock of the web this week when he tweeted about jazz legend Hugh Masekela’s passing on Tuesday.

“We love you forever,” Fish wrote. “Thank you!”

The issue? The attached image was one of Fish with Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse, who is still “very much alive”.

#MarkFish I am very much alive – oops ask my family or manager @MartinMyers or @BillyMonama – I am alive and well pic.twitter.com/5MWU2Hyhup

— Hotstix (@siphohotstix) January 23, 2018

Fish deleted the tweet, apologised, and posted a picture of the real Masekela, but not before Twitter latched on with the #MarkFishChallenge.

#MarkFishChallenge
Black Coffee pic.twitter.com/PbcOLo33oE

— Mochoari Thabang (@MochoariT) January 24, 2018

In rushed a variety of mislabeled images for a meme so strong it stayed trending at the nation’s top spot well into Thursday morning.

Helen Zille looks so good with long hair 😍 #MarkFishChallenge pic.twitter.com/rEuIzHLhgU

— Iyanla Fix My Life (@khoileesie) January 24, 2018

#MarkFishChallenge
Destruction Boyz pic.twitter.com/DehGBRsA0z

— Diliza Mpuku (@dizzympuks) January 24, 2018

A rare picture of Nelson Mandela and Sjava #MarkFishChallengepic.twitter.com/K8yqhxfxRQ

— Sphamandla (@RayJSpha) January 24, 2018

Mark Fish himself got in on the action, retweeting some of his favourites.

Mark Fish and Mmusi Maimane pic.twitter.com/1CwRenKdBK

— Khomotso (@cyber_guru) January 24, 2018

Props to Fish for taking the mistake on the chin — and for bringing some light to the sad loss of Hugh Masekela.